Printing machine



Aug. l5, 1950 A. s'roBB PRINTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23. 1946 l TIIIIII Il l wlmi' is A m Aug. as, 195o Fled Feb, 23,'

PRINTING MACHINE A. -sT-OBB y2,518,575

7 ySheets-Sheet 2 ruff Anm/v. .5y-05B INVENTOR.

Arran/v5 v Aug l5., 1950v A. suroBB 2,518,575

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 23, 1946 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 3' AN ra/v 5117155 IN V EN TOR.

Aus- 15, 4195o A. STQBB 2,518,575

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, v194e; Y 'r sheets-s119954 Aura/v 51u55 INVENTOR ATTORNEY' Aug. l5, 1950 A. sToBB PRINTING MACHINE 7' Sheet-s-Sheet 5 A/vTa/v 57'055 lNVENTOR Bcz;

ATTORNEY Filed Feb. 23.' 1946 Aug. l5, 1950 A. s'rQBB 2,518,575

PRINTING uAcHINE l llzg. IE5.

ANTUN 577355 [L96: lNvENToR ATTORNEY Aug. '15, 11950 A. sToBB 2,518,575

PRINTING uAcHINE Filed Feb, 2s, 1946 'I sheets-sheet '7 ATTORNEY PatentedfAug. l5, 1950 PRINTING MACHINE .Anton Stobb.

Union Township,

Hunterdon County, N. J., assignor to R. Hoe tr Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application February 23, 1946, Serial No. 649,571

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a web supplying mechanism, and more particularly to a reel for supporting and successively moving a pair of web rolls to a feeding position, and which includes mechanism whereby a web can be fed under proper tension control to a printing machine.

Web roll supplying mechanisms are commonly used, with newspaper and other high speed printing machines, to shift the feed of the web from an expiring roll to a replacement roll without stopping or slowing down the printing machine. Web supplying mechanisms usually support a plurality of web rolls and move them successively from a loading position,v to a splicing position, and finally to an expiring position. Also by moving the mechanism axially, the edges of the web, fed to the printing machine, are maintained in proper alignment. Before the leading end of a replacement roll can be spliced to a web running -from an expiring roll, the replacement roll must be rotating at a peripheral speed approximately equal to the speed of the running web, and in order to accomplish this rotation, a plurality of running belts, moving at a speed approximately equal to the speed of the web, are operated in contact with the peripheral surface of the replacement roll. After the splice has been made, the samerunning belts are employed to control the feeding of the web. Heretofore, the reel has generally been rotated to bring the web roll into contact with belts mounted independently of the reel, and in order to provide continuous control for the web, auxiliary brakes have been used 'which act on the shaft or. spindle of the web roll. In these machines, when the splice was about to be made, vcontrol of the web was transferred from the belts to the auxil iary brake.

This invention has for one of its objects the provision of a new and improved :web-roll reel, having a single means that will speed up a replacement roll and control the feeding of the web throughout the whole operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved web supplying mechanism capable of supporting a pair of web rolls, each of whichis provided with its own speeding up and web controlling means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved web supplying mechanism having a single means that controls the web from the time that a new web roll begins to feed until the said roll has expired.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tensioning mechanism that will provide smooth, uninterrupted tensioning of the web.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which 'will appear as the description proceeds, the inventionA resides in the combinations and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described. A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings where- Figure 1 is an elevational side view of a webroll supporting reel embodying 'features and principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a. View taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows, some parts being broken away to show details:

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows, some parts being broken away to show details;

Figure 5 is a view of a portion of the reel showing a valve and associated mechanism employed for controlling the speed up and tension belts;

Figure 5A shows the mechanism of Figure 5 with the valve in a different position;

Figures 6 to 9 are diagrammatic views of the reel in various positions through lwhich it passes during its operation. Specifically, Figure 6 shows a roll in the feeding position, Figure 7 -shows the same rollnearly depleted and a new roll in the loading position, Figure 8 shows the 'partly depleted roll being moved from the feedin'g position toward an expiring position, and Figure 9 shows the depleted roll in the expiring position and the new roll in the splicing position;

Figure 10 is a detailed cross-sectional View taken through the brush and knife carrier shown Figure 12A, but in the position shown in Figure 5A;

Figure 12C is a side view pf the valve as viewed from the lowermost side of Figure 12A;

Figure 13 shows a modified form of the invention, in which certain parts are substituted for parts shown in Figure 2; and

Fig-ure 14 is a view on the broken line |4-I4 of Figure 13J as seen in the direction of the arrows.. a"

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to a reel I I capable of supporting a pair of web rolls that may assume various positions in which they are hereinafter referred to as a new roll I0, a rep.acement roll l', a feeding roll I5, and an expiring roll I2. The reel (Figure 1) includes a left frame I3 and a right frame I4, and the outer face of the left frame I3 is provided with a centrally located hub I6 from which a hollow cylindrical shaft I1 (Figure 2) pair of axially bored bars forming air cylinders 81 and 88, each of which has a piston rod 82 (Figextends and is journaled in a bearing I8 supported by a left column or post I9. The outer face of the right frame I4 is likewise provided with a hub 2| and a shaft 22 that is journaled in a bearing 23 supported by a right post 24. The two frames I3 and I4 are joined together by the rods 2B and 21, the rod 26 being held to frame I3 by a split lug 28 and tightening bolts 68, and to the frame I4 by a split lug 29 and tightening bolts 68. The rod 21 is likewise held to the frame I3 bya lug 3| and to the frame I4 by a lug 32. The extreme radially positioned portions of the frames I3 and I4 carry bearings 33 and 34, and 36 and 31 respectively. 'A web guiding roller 38 is rotatably supported between the bearings 33 and 31, and a similar web guiding roller 39 is supported between the bearings 34 and 36. The left frame I3 is provided with bearings 4I and 42 for rotatably supporting the left ends of the shafts 43 and 44 respectively, and the right ends of these shafts, in a similar manner are rotatably supported in bearings 46 and 41 carried by the right frame I4. The shafts 43 and 44 are driven, at a speed approximately proportional to the speed of the printing machine for the purpose of speeding up the rolls and tensioning the web, by means hereinafter described. A plurality of flanged pulleys 46 which drive the speed up and tensioning belts 49 are secured to the shaft 43 by bolts 5|, and in like manner, the flanged pulleys 52 which drive belts 53 are secured to the shaft 44 by bolts 54. The belts 49 and 53 respectively, pass over movable pulleys 56 and 51, mounted in a manner hereinafter described. The mechanism thus far described forms a rotatable frame for carrying the roll supporting spiders and various apparatus utilized for handling and controlling the rolls during the cycle of operation shown in Figures 6 to 9.

A left spider 58 (Figures l, 3 and 4) is slidably mounted on tie rod 26 by jaws 59 and 6| and secured where desired by clamp bolts 66. The opposite side of the spider 58 is likewise mounted and secured on the tie rod 21. A right spider 62 is similarly mounted on the same rods by jaws 63 and 64 and secured by clamp bolts 81. A gap 69 (Figure 4) is provided in each of the jaws 59, 6 I, 63 and 64, thus making it possible to move the spiders 58 and 62 past brackets 1| and 12, that are secured to the rods 26 and 21 respectively by screws 13, and serve to support the belt control mechanism described below.

Each spider (Figure 4) is diamond-shaped, having side members 14, 16, 11 and 18, and a diagonal member 19. The members 14 and 16 of spiders 58 and 62 respectively carry chucks 8| and 82 (Figure 1), of any known type, for rotature 4), and forms meansr for controlling a belt. The outer end of each piston rod 92 carries a bracket 91, and adjacent pairs of these brackets and rods carry shafts 98 on which the movable belt pulleys 56 and 51 are rotatably supported. The closed ends of each pair of cylinders 81 and 88 carry a counter-weight 99 (Figures 1 and 4) for counterbalancing the pulleys.

Air or other fluid under suitable pressure is supplied to each of the air cylinders 81 and 88 through flexible hose connections 93 (Figures 5, 5A and 12), for forcing the piston rods 92 carrying the pulleys 56 and 51 outwardly to press the belts 48 and 53 against the web rolls I0 and I2 respectively. Hose connections 94 connect to the outer portions of the cylinders 81 and 88, and a two-way valve 96, to be hereinafter described, is provided whereby the air pressure against the pistons 9| may be made to withdraw the pulleys 58 and 51 and remove the belts from the web roll, to avoid driving the expired roll and unwinding paper after its web has been severed.

In a manner similar to that shown in U. S. Patent 2,357,259, the bearing I8 (Figures 1 and 2), which supports the hollow shaft I1, is in turn supported by a pair of rollers |0| and |02 that run on rails |03. In like manner, the right side of the reel II is supported by rollers |04 and rails |08. Also, in a manner similar to the method shown in the patent mentioned, a geared motor |01, having an output shaft |08 screwed into a threaded portion |09 of the column I9 is mounted on the bearing member I8, and provides means whereby the reel I| and the web rolls I0 and I2 can be shifted longitudinally to adjust the alignment of the web W running to the machine. This adjustment moves the entire rotatable frame and spider assembly, including the speed up and tensioning belts, bodily.

The means for driving the shafts 43 and 44, and thus the belts 49 and 53, includes a shaft III (Figure 2) whichis driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the printing machine 'by a suitable connection, not shown. The lower end of the shaft I|| is supported by bearings ||2 and I I3 and carries a bevel gear II4, meshing with a bevel gear ||9 which has a hub 2| and is secured on a shaft |22 rotatably supported in a portion of a housing |23. The shaft |22 drives an adjustable V-belt pulley |24, having one face, |28, fixed to the shaft |22, and the other face |21 carried by hub |28 which is axially slidable on the shaft. The face |21 is held against axial motion on the shaft by a non-rotatable bearing plate |29 in which the hub |28 rotates and collar |3I screwed on the threaded end of hub |28 holds these parts together. Pin |32 nxedin and extending from the face |28 through holes in the face |21 causes the two faces to rotate in unison. Three shafts |33 are each provided with a right hand thread on one end and a left hand thread on the other end. One end of each shaft is screw threaded into the housing |23 and the other end is screw threaded into the plate |29. Each of the shafts |33 carries a sprocket |34 (Figure 3), and it will be seen that simultaneous rotation of these shafts will cause the plate, the collar I 3I, the hub |28, and the face |21 to move toward or away from the face |28. The sprockets |34 are driven by a chain |36 which in turn is driven by a sprocket wheel |31, operated as hereinafter described. A second sprocket wheel |38 on the same shaft as the wheel |31, drives a chain |39 and sprockets |40 which adjust the diameter of a second adjustable pulley |4| having a face |42 secured to the shaft |43, and a face |44 mounted on a hub |45. A plate |41 like the plate |29, has a hub |48, and is moved by the shafts |49 in a manner similar to that previously described, except that when the diameter of the pulley |24 is increased, the diameter of the pulley |4| is decreased, and vice versa. By this means, the speed of pulley |4| relative to the shaft may be varied as desired within the range of adjustment provided.

A bracket |I, secured to the post I9 by a plurality of bolts |52, supports the bottom of the housing |23 and also provides a bearing for the shaft |43. The innerA end of this shaft carries a pinion |53, held in place by a key |54, and fitting within an internally toothed gear. |56 secured on the end of a shaft |51 by a key |58. Hub |59 of the gear |56 and the shaft |51 are rotatable within a bore passing through the shaft I1. A double sprocket wheel |6I (Figures 2.and 4) secured to the shaft |51 by a key |62 is positioned within the frame I3 and drives a double chain |63, led over idler sprocket wheels |68, and driving sprockets |64 and |66. Chain |63 may be tightened by an eccentrically operated chain tightener |61. As seen in Figure 2, the sprockets |64 and |66 are secured to the end of the shafts 43 and 44 which carry the pulleys 48 and 52 and drive the belts 49 and 53.

The fixed frame posts I9 and 24, with other similar posts, not shown, support horizontally positioned structural members |69 and |1I, and these members rotatably support guide rollers |12 and |13 (Figure 3), and a cross shaft |14 to which a pair of levers |16 is secured, for sup-v porting a floating roller |11. An arm |18 also secured to the shaft |14 pivotally engages a link |19 and is thereby operably connected to a piston I8| movable in a cylinder |82, to which air pressure is supplied by a pipe |83. An arm |84 keyed to the shaft |14 is pivotally attached to one end of a rod |86 having a longitudinally acting spring |81 interposed therein. The other end of the rod |86 is pivotally connected to an arm |88 secured to the sprockets |31 and |38. Thus movement of the floating roller |11 acting through the chains |38 and |39 turns the sprocket wheels |34 and |40 and variesthe diameter of the adjustable pulleys |24 and I4I so as to vary the belt speed and regulate the tension.

A combined knife and brush carrier |89 (Figures 3, '10 and 11), secured to the lower ends of a pair of pivotally supported arms |90, supports a brush |9I, a knife |92, and an operating handle |93. While not in use, the arms |90 are biased to the position shown in Figure 3 by a spring |96, and a level` |94 that is part of the arm prohibits further movement by engaging a pin |91.` In the construction shown, the reel and rolls carried thereby serve to clear their own paths of move-` ment by forcing the carrier |89 back against spring |96. Where desired, however, any of the various i-:nown manual and'automatic arrange-- ments for positioning 4the carrier |89 according to the position of the reel and stage of the web feeding and splicing cycle, may be utilized.

The knife and brush mechanism as best seen in Figures and 11, includes a tubular shaft 20| rotatably supported within a tube 2oz and biased to rotate clockwise (as seen in Figure 10)l by a coiled spring 203. This shaft carriesa plurality of pins 204, the ends of which project through holes 206 provided in the tube 202, and these4 ends support bars 201 which carry a plurality of brushes |9I, extending approximately the-full length of the web rolls. A second shaft 208, also rotatably supported by the carrier |89,

is biased to rotate counter-clockwise (as seen inv other end of the link is pivotally supported from held in the retracted position shown in Figure 10, a shoulder 222 on the arm engages the pivotally supported hook 2 I3 and holds it in the position shown, retracted against the bias of a spring 223.

`liinergization of the 'solenoid 2 I6 raises the plunger 2|1, releases the arm 22| and allows the spring 203 to swing the brush against the web W. When the arm 22| has moved forward, the hook 2| 3 is released and moves intoV engagement with a shoulder on the link 2I8. A second energization of the solenoid 2|6 then raises the hook 2I3, releases the stop '2| 2, and allows the spring 2|9 to project the knife into position to sever the web from the expired roll. The mechanism thus described is reset by the handle |93 that is pivotally supported on lugs 224 and a pin 226. Moving the handle |93 to the left, as shown in Figure 11, moves a pin 221 to the right. This motion engages the upper end of a pivotally supported lever 228, the lower end of which engages a lever 229 secured to the end of the shaft 20|, and rotates the shaft 20| counter-clockwise against the biasing spring 203. The lever 229 abuts against a lever 23| secured to the end of the knife shaft 208 by a clamp 2|0, and movement of this lever causes the shaft'to rotate clockwise against the bias of the spring 209. Pulling the handle |93 farther in the same direction moves the arms to the raised position hereinbefore mentioned.

The means for leadingcompressed air to the mechanism for controlling the belts and disclosed in Figures 5, 5A and 12 includes a pipe 232 shown in Figure 1, provided with a rotary 1 coupling 233 and extending through the shaft 22 Figures 5, 5A and l2 show a preferred valve v mechanism whereby the air pressure in the cylinders 81 and 88 may be reversed to lift the bels 53 engaging a roll in the expiring position, to the position shown in Figure 6 when a web splice atraen 4direction by a spring 248 within the valve, but

may be turned counter-clockwise to the limit of' its motion and held in that position by a latch 242 which engages a shoulder 243 provided on the external surface of the valve 98. Each latch 242 is secured to a pin 244, rotatably mounted on the frame I3, and which carries a trip lever 241. The valves 96 cooperate with ports in the tie rods, each valve having a supply port 234 connected with the pipe 232', an outlet port '231, connected with a pipe 259, and anotheroutlet port 238 connected with a pipe 258. An elongated slot 236 is formed in the face of the valve 98 and can be positioned to connect the supply port 234 with either of the outlet ports 231 or 238, and vents 231a and 238a are provided in the valve, and so positioned that the vent 238a will be aligned with the outlet port 238, when the supply port 234 is connected with the outlet port 231, and the vent 231a will be aligned with the outlet port 231 when the supply port 234 is connected with the outlet port 238.

When the reel is stopped in the position shown in Figure 9, and the valve 96 is being held by the 1atch242, the trip lever 241 (Figure l2), will be in position to be engaged by a roller 248 supported on a lever 249 secured to 'one end of a shaft 25| which is carried in brackets 252 secured to the post I9. A solenoid 253 fixed on the post I9, has its plunger 254 connected to a bifurcated lever 255, arranged to turn the shaft 25| when the solenoid is energized.

The solenoid 253 is energized by operation of a switch 255 mounted on the carrier |89 (Figure l1) and is operated by rotation of the clamp 2|8 when the web severing mechanism operates. When the solenoid 253 is energized, the roller 248 engages the lever 241 and trips the latch 242,

` which allows the valve member 239 to turn closing the passage to the port 231 and opening the passage to the port 238. 'The valve is manually reset when desired by means of a handle 251.

The pipes 258y and 259, like the pipe 232', are carried in grooves in each of the tie rods 25 and 21, and these pipes are connected to the outlet ports 238 (Figure 5A), and 231 (Figure 5), respectively. Flexible hose connections 94 are connected to each of the pipes 259 (communicating with the ports 231), and lead to the inner ends of the cylinders 81 and 88, at points behind their piston faces 26|. Also, hose connections 93 are connected to each of the pipes 258 (communicating with the ports 238) and lead to the outer ends of the cylinders 81 and 88, at points in front of the piston faces 262. Thus, when the valve 98 is positioned as shown in Figures 5 and12A, the air pressure will act to force the piston rods 92 to their extended positions, whereas, when the valve 96 is positioned as shown in Figures 5A and 12B, the air pressure will act to force the piston rods 92 to their retracted positions, and the counterweights 99 will have moved the pulleys 51 and the belts 53, as shown in Figure 6, to a position where they will not interfere with the installation of a new roll I8.

The mechanism shown in Figures 13 and 14 is employed in connection with a somewhat modified form of the invention wherein the belts controlling the expiring roll are stopped when a web splice is made, instead of being automatically 8 lifted as shown in Figure 6. This is accomplished by disconnecting the shaft through which the belts on the expiring roll are driven, from its driving sprocket, and applying a brake by means of the solenoid 253. The mechanism shown in Figures 13 and 14 is mounted mainly within the frame I3, and is operated by the solenoid 253 mountedon the post I9. It includes a bracket 21| secured to the frame I3 by screws 212. This bracket carries a ball bearing 213, which rotatably supports one end of a shaft 44', corresponding to the shaft 44 hereinbefore mentioned, and the bracket has a tapered bore 214, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. A clutch member 216, keyed to rotate with and mounted to slide axially along a reduced'portion 211 of the shaft 44' includes a sleeve 218, the left end (Figure 14) of which has a clutch wheel 219 with a frustro-conical face 28| formed on its periphery. A brake wheel 282 with a frustro-conical face 283 is carried on the right end of the sleeve 218 and is secured thereto by screws 284. Bearings 288 supported on the left end of the shaft 44 rotatably support a sprocket wheel |88', which corresponds with the wheel |68., shown in Figure 2.

A tapered bore 281 in the wheel |88 engages the clutch face 28| and drives the shaft 44 when the clutch member is positioned toward the left as shown in Figure 13. When the clutch member 216 is moved toward the right (Figure 13), the face 283 engages the bore 214 and thereby applies a brake action on the shaft 44. Means for moving the sleeve 218 axially on the shaft, includes ball bearings 288, the inner races of which are secured to the sleeve at a point between the clutch wheels 219 and 282. The outer races of the ball Ibearings carry a Aring 298 having a pair of pins 288 (Figure 14) that are engaged by the ends of a pair of'arms 29| and 292, formed integral with a sleeve 293 securedto a shaft 294. The shaft 294 is journaled in the bracket 21| and has an operating handle 298 secured to one of its ends. A spring 291, carried in a bore 298 and coiled around the shaft 294 biases the sleeve 293 to cause engagement of the face 283 with the bore 214 and thereby apply "a braking action to the shaft 44'. A lever 299 secured to one end of the shaft 294 may be engaged y a hook 38| formed as one lever of a bell-crank which is pivotally supported from the frame |3"by a bolt 382 and a shaft spring 383 biases the bell-crank to the posi` tion shown in Figure 14.

A second lever 384 of the bell-crank is provided with a ledge 384a that is engaged by the roller 248, in the same manner that the roller 248 engages the lever 241 shown in Figure 12. It will -be understood that operation of the solenoid 253, which results in movement of the roller 248 in Figure l2 will similarly result in a corresponding movement of the lever 384 of Figure 14 when the solenoid 253 is energized. In Figure 12, energizing the solenoid trips the latch 242, releasing the valve and throwing off the lbelts, whereas in the device of Figures 13 and 14, operation of the solenoid releases the hook-38|, which in 'turn releases the lever 299. This allows the spring 291 to turn the shaft 294, causing the arms 29| and 292 to disconnect the sprocket |68' and to apply a brake on the shaft 44 by engaging the face 283 with the bore 214, thus stopping the belts 53 and the roll I2. It will be understood that a sprocket like the sprocket |68 with the same cooperating mechanism is substituted for the sprocket |64 and its cooperating mechanism when using the form of the invention shown in Figures 13 and 14.

- asians |11 and the roller |13 (Figure 3), and thence to the printing machine (not shown). Tension of the web W feeding from the roll I will be controlled by the belts 49, and the speed of the belts will depend upon the speed of the machine and the effective diameter of the pulleys |24 and |4'I. In the loading position, Figure 6 or '1, the exhausted stub I2 will be removed and replaced by a fresh roll I0, at a convenient time. y

Ii the tension on the web increases or decreases, if. '15 the floating roller |11 will rise or fall against the stabilizing eilect of the piston I8| (Figure 3). This will rotate the sprockets |31, |38, |34 and (Figure 2) and adjust the diameter of the pulleys |24 and |4| to slightly increase or de- 12:0 crease the speed of the belts, as may be required to maintain a constant tension on the `web.4 As the diameter of the web roll I5 (Figure 6) decreases, the air pressure against the piston faces 26| will cause the driving belts 49 and pulleys 58 T135 (Figure l'7) to follow the retreating surface of the roll. As the roll I5 nears exhaustion, the reel I I is rotated counter-clockwise by means of a motor 308 (Figure 1), geared to a pinion 309 and a gear 300 in a well known manner, and moves the rolls .3-'0 I0 and I5 through the intermediate 'positions shown in Figure 8 to the positions shown in Figure 9, where the reel will be stopped by means of a suitable limit switch or photo-cell" device l (not shown), which acts to deenergize the motor 3b in accordance with general practice. Figure 9 shows the roll I5 in the expiring position and v the roll I0 in the splicing position.

With the web rolls thus disposed, the belts .53, being held in contact with the roll I0, will rotate rn it at a peripheral speed substantially equal to that of the web W being drawn from the expiring roll I2. As shown in Figure 9, the web passes around the roller 38 and is carried past the knife and brush carrier |89 and the replacement roll "4'5 I0, and is thence carried over rollers |12, |11 and |13 to the printing machine. When it is desired to transfer the web feed to the replacement roll I0, the brush I9| is operated to press the web W against the surface of the replacement roll I0, and the web end of the roll I0 having previously been prepared with adhesive in a Well known manner, it adheres to the running web W and is carried into the printing machine. The splice having thus been effected, and the machine then being supplied with a web from the roll I0, the web from the roll I2 is immediately severed by the knife |92. Energization of the solenoid 2|6 at the proper time, which is required -in order to release the brush I9| and effect the 60 splice, may be accomplished by utilization of a known photo-cell device operated by the passing of the adhesive on the roll surface or by passing of any other suitable mark placed in proper relation to the end of the web on the replacement 05 roll, or alternatively a mechanically operated timing device of the order shown in Patent No. 2,140,528 may be employed.

When using the mechanism as illustrated in Figures 5, 5A and 12, the belts are automatically 70 moved away from the roll when the web from the spent roll is severed, and when the form depicted in Figures 13 and 14 is used, the spent roll is automatically stopped when the web is severed.

It will be observed that the reel may be arranged with both the brake device of Figure 13, and also the hand operated valve mechanism of Figure 12, by omitting the trip lever 241 and utilizing the valve 9S as a meansfor throwing the belts out of contact with the rolls when they are lbeing loaded into the reel or prepared for splicing.

It will be seen that the belts 49 and 53 maintain contact with the surface of the roll not only during the unwinding of the major portion of the roll, but also during the time it is being brought up to web speed, through the operation of splicing its web end to the then running web, through the period While the roll is being moved yfrom the feeding to the expiring position, and while its web is spliced to the web end of the next roll to be used. Thus the same tension device controls the roll throughout all operations on it in the machine. This provides a continuous web tension control mechanism rin which there is no disturbance of the web tension when changing the position of a running roll by rotation of the reel.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific orms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is, therefore, desired that the vpresent embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the claims rather than to the foregoing description for an indication of the scope of the roll prior to a splicing operation and to tension the samewhile supplying the web, and means for interrupting the drive of a web roll by a belt device upon severing of the web thereof following a splicing operation.

2. In a web supply device, a rotatable reel having means for rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web therefrom, belt devices mounted upon said reel for movement therewith and positioned for peripheral driving engagement with web rolls carried thereon, adjustable speed belt driving means mounted on said reel for rotation therewith, and means for connecting said belt driving means to a machine drive external of the said reel.

3. In a web supply device, a reel having means for rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web therefrom, shaft means for rotatably supporting said reel, belt devices mounted upon said reel for movement therewith and positioned for peripheral driving engagement with web rolls carried thereon, belt driving means mounted on said reel for rotation therewith and having an intermediate drive member coaxial with said shaft means and adjustable speed means responsive to tension of the web for driving said intermediate drive member from a machine drive external of the said reel.

4. In a web supply device, a rotatable reel having means for' rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web therefrom, belt devices mounted upon said reel for movement therewith and positioned for peripheral driving engagement with web rolls carried thereon. means for driving the said belt devices from a machine being supplied with the web to accelerate a web roll prior to a. splicing operation and to tension the same while supplying the web, g

and means governed by the angular position of the said reel for unclutching and braking a belt device controlling an expiring roll upon splicing a web controlled thereby to a new web roll.

' 5. In a web supply device, a rotatable reel havlo ing means for rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web there- A from, belt devices mounted upon said reel for 'movement therewith and positioned for peripheral driving engagement with web rolls carried u and means governed by the angular position of n the said reel for moving a said belt device oontrolling an expiring roll out of driving engagement with a web roll upon splicing a web being supplied therefrom to a new web roll.

6. In a web supply device, a n xed frame, a g

rotatable reel frame comprising end members and longitudinal tie rods connecting the said end members and spaced from the rotatable reel frame axis, pivotal supports associated with the said end members for mounting the rotatable reel n frame on the fixed frame, an axially adjustable spider mounted on the said rotatable reel frame for rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web therefrom, and

driven belt devices for peripherally engaging web rolls carried by said spider along arcs thereof adjacent the reel frame axis and plvotally carried by said reel frame for movement toward and away from the axes of the sid web rolls.

7. In a web supply device, a xed frame. a l

rotatable reel frame comprising end members and longitudinal tie rods connecting the said end members and spaced from the rotatable reel frame axis, pivotal supports associated with the said end members for mounting the rotatable reel 4l 2,357,976

frame on the xed frame, an axially adjustable spider mounted on the said rotatable reel frame for rotatably carrying a plurality of web rolls for successively delivering a web therefrom, driven belt devices for peripherally engasins web rolls n l2 carried by said spider along arcs thereof adjacent the reel trame axis, and pivotally carried by said reel frame for movement toward and away from the axes of the said web rolls, and web guiding rollers carried by the said rotatable reel frame end members.

8. A web supply device for a printing machine. including a rotatable reel adapted to support a plurality of web rolls and web guiding means including a floating roller running in a loop in the web. in combination with a plurality of endless belts each carried on pulleys, pulley supports rotatable with the reel. first means to press the belts against the web rolls, second means connected to a rotating member of the machine to drive one of the pulleys carrying each belt, a variable speed device associated with the said second means, and third means operated in response to bodily movement of the iioating vroller to operate the variable speed device and thereby regulate the tension on a web running to the machine.

9. A web supplying device for a printing machine. including a rotatable reel adapted to support a plurality of web rolls. and web guiding means including a floating roller running in a loop in the web; in combination with a plurality of endless belts each carried on pulleys supported by and rotatable with the reel, means connected to a rotatable member of the machine to drive certain of the pulleys carrying the belts. and means responsive to bodily movement of the floating roller for controlling the action of each belt on a web roll. and thereby maintaining a desired tension on a web running tothe machine.

s ANTON STOBB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,268,134 White June 4, 1918 2,037,353 Tornberg Apr. 14, 1936 Roesen Sept. 12, 1944 2,413,581 Roesen Dec. 31, 1946 4 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 89,635 Sweden July 6, 1937 

